Aerospace & Defense Roundup: May. 24

May 25, 2021

UK Carrier Group Begins First Deployment, Heads To Indo-Pacific

Credit: UK Royal Navy



The first of the UK’s two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has set sail on its initial deployment. 



Read the full article

Washington Scraps U.S.-South Korea Missile Guidelines, Range Grows

Credit: South Korea Ministry of National Defense



The U.S. has abolished the 42-year-old U.S.-South Korea Missile Guidelines, allowing South Korea to develop increasingly capable ballistic missiles. 



Read the full article

Poland Buys Turkish Bayraktar Drones, Arms

Credit: wikimedia.commons



Poland has joined the growing list of countries to export armed unmanned aircraft systems from Turkey. 



Read the full article

NASA Seeking Industry Comment On Orbital Free Flyer Strategy

Credit: NASA



NASA has issued a draft plan for the first phase of its Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program, which seeks to spur the initial development of two to four commercial free flyers as successors to the International Space Station (ISS).



Read the full article

UK Government Introduces Spaceport Licensing Regulations

Credit: UK government



British spaceports will be able to apply for operating licenses this summer, paving the way for launch from the UK mainland in 2022. 



Read the full article

The Weekly Debrief: Does The U.S. Military Need To Bring Back Seaplanes?

Credit: U.S. Navy



The specter of war with China across the vast Pacific Ocean has provoked the U.S. military to re-imagine the command-and-control mission, spend billions on ever longer-range and faster missiles, and now has caused U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to embrace the possibility of a seaplane revival.



Read the full article

Contractor-Owned Aircraft Crashes Near Nellis AFB

Credit: Wikimedia / Ken Lund



A contractor-operated aircraft crashed at about 2:30 p.m., May 24, on the southern edge of Nellis AFB, Nevada, the U.S. Air Force said. 



Read the full article

Washington scraps U.S.-South Korea missile guidelines, NASA seeking industry comment on orbital free flyer strategy and more. A roundup of aerospace, space, and defense news powered by Aerospace Daily & Defense Report. 

Get regular analysis and insights from Aviation Week Network’s award-winning editorial and data teams on technology and business advances impacting the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries.